An A-Z of Nellie and Co.

Today is finally the day that Nellie and Co. is officially open for business, and as exciting as that is for me, it opens up a whole load of questions for everyone else, everything from where the name came from, to what new features are available, and today, I thought the best way to introduce Nellie and Co. would be to take you on a tour, an A-Z of Nellie and Co. to answer some of your questions, showcase some of what I do, and prove why I'm well worth your following.

A - Archives

As Nellie and Co. focuses on various different subjects, it made sense to split them into much more accessible areas, allowing different followers to access the archives that matter most to them. For readers and book bloggers, there are new book and film review archives, as well as an archive just for book related discussions. For other all bloggers, there's a general blogging archive, giving advice, guidance and support to anyone and everyone, whether they're new to blogging or just looking for a few tips and tricks. Added to the mix is: a new Design Tutorials - HTML/CSS archive which is currently sparse, but will grow with time, accommodating followers interested in learning how to code, a Statistics and Reports archive which will focus on updates on Nellie and Co.'s growth and development as a blog, and a Personal archive featuring a collection of posts that are more personal than Nellie and Co. related. There's an archive for everyone, and that's what's so great about Nellie and Co.

B - Book Reviews

As part of my redirection when it comes to blogging, book reviews will be heavily affected. Sure, book reviews will still be around, and I'll still dedicate a lot of time to reading and reviewing these books, but many more reviews will be found on Goodreads rather than on Nellie and Co. so if you're serious about keeping up with the books I read, it might be worth sending a request on Goodreads instead. As of the right now, there may be a handful of reviews each month, but very rarely more than 6.

C - Categories

Much like my new Archives, Nellie and Co. has simple and easy to understand categories in the sidebar, making it easy to find exactly what it is you're looking for when it comes to searching through Nellie and Co. Find exactly what you're after, whether it be discussions on books, blogging, or even my trade and giveaway opportunity, which gives you the chance to gain books I no longer want.

D - Design

When it came down to creating Nellie and Co.'s design, I knew I wanted something that was still similar to Beautiful Bookish Butterflies in it's clean lies and block-like, flat style, yet I wanted something soft on the eyes that didn't scream 'rectangles everywhere'. I wanted a smooth transition on my hovers, beautifully simple graphics and a design tat felt warm, gentle and welcoming, and I honestly couldn't be happier with the look.

E - Elephant

I've already been asked numerous times where the name Nellie and Co. came from, and in order to save time explaining it over and over again, I've included it as one of my FAQ's!

F - Five Friday Favourites

It's with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to an original feature created all the way back in 2013 on Book Badger, but Five Friday Favourites just isn't the type of content I want to create a regular basis anymore, neither does it seem to the content that people are most interest in from me. It's been a long and bumpy road with FFF - if it wasn't for a handful of followers, I think I would have retired the feature a long time ago, but in the end, you shouldn't force yourself to create content you don't love for the few, when you can create content for the many instead, and that's what I intend to do. Sure, I'll still be creating some of my favourites, but I might not just limit it to 5 in future, neither will I limit myself to Fridays - staying creative and going with the flow is something I'm much more excited and inclined to do, and I hope fans of FFF will understand my decision to say goodbye.

G - Graphics

A less popular question I've always been asked about is how I create my graphics and the answer is Picmonkey. I plan on writing a post about why it's my go-to online design program, but all of the graphics seen and used on Nellie and Co. are created by me, and any photography is taken by me, so please, if you ever plan on using any of them, please ask for permission and credit me.

H - HTML

As with Beautiful Bookish Butterflies, when designing Nellie and Co. I focused a lot of making use out of as much HTML and other coding as I could possibly achieve. Less graphic heavy designs make for smoother, better running time on the blog, and that's a big must for me - it's something I want to share with followers. I'm planning on creating a lot more tutorials on coding and how to create a functional but easy to use blogging space, and giving some of my tips and tricks on how Nellie and Co. feels and works as well as it does. If you have a tutorial you'd like to see, featuring something on Nellie and Co. drop me an email or tweet me.

I - Independence

Going it alone after so long co-blogging can be a daunting task, but when I made the decision to leave behind Beautiful Bookish Butterflies, a topic I will discuss in more detail in a few days time, I knew that it wasn't just a change of scenery I needed, it was a change to actually blogging. I'm a great team player, and I can take charge when it's expected or needed of me, but in heart, I'm a lone wolf, I enjoy having control and knowing what gets posted, when. I enjoy not having to discuss changes I may make, or consult on decisions that affect the blog as a whole - the only person I needed to consult is myself, and being an independent blogger, as much as I loved co-blogger, is the right step for me. This also means that only on very rare occasions will guest posts be allowed on Nellie and Co. and those that are are by people I know and trust with my brand.

J - Job Hunting

I've been job hunting for over a year now, and it's not an easy feet - in fact, it's stressful, knocks your confidence and can affect everything you can, or don't do, or can't do. It's not easy trying to find your first job, and while I can't claim to be an expert on the subject, since I still haven't found one myself, I do have some knowledge under my belt that could help you bag your dream job, doing what you want. I've been attending a lot of work resource programs and have learnt a lot within that time, and I have huge plans to share some of what I've learnt, especially when it comes to how your blog can help you, and how it can get you a foot in the door of the job market. Check out 4 ways your blog can benefit your CV/Résumé for quick tips now.

K - Keeping It Professional

I've already mentioned that sometimes, there will be a slightly personal post from me in terms of experiences, things I've been up, or just general catch-ups, and that's great, you all know how much I enjoy getting a little more personal with you, however, Nellie and Co. will, most of the time, be keeping it professional. There are been a few issues the past few months when it comes to me personal life and privacy, and while I love getting into the nitty gritty of life and general loves, I've learnt the hard way that I have to protect myself in order to be safe. If you're looking for personal, it's worth following me on Twitter, but it'll be rare for me to dive into my personal life on Nellie and Co. There's no shame in protecting yourself online, in fact, I would completely advise it, and I'll be talking a little more about that in the next few months too.

L - Less Time Blogging

I have a post coming on Wednesday about how to keep your blogging a hobby and less of an unpaid job, and it's something I constantly put pressure on myself to remember. Blogging is something I do for the joy of sharing what I know with others, and growing my blog while I do so, and keeping Nellie and Co. as a hobby is something I'm passionate about, no matter what encouragement others give me to make it anything it isn't. Spending time to enjoy other hobbies I love, such as reading and designing, and spending time elsewhere doing other things is one of the reasons my schedule, which you can see more on a little later, is less busy, and why I'm more open to posting what appeals most. Organisation is key for me in blogging, but going with the flow and counting on creativity and spontaneity is something I'm loving right now, and plan to stick with.

M - More Blogging Discussions

Reiterating a little on how there will be less book reviews than there has been previously in my blogging experience, there will also be less posts generally about books - at least, that's how it feels right at this moment in time. There will be discussions about books, whether that be about rape and character development, buying books cheaply - anything that feels right, but I'm much more focused on my blogging with content, design, tutorials, advice, guidance and anything else that can help other bloggers become even better at what they do, and I'll be pushing forward with that content more than book related discussions.

N - No More Facebook

Facebook as a social media platform has grown significantly, and as far as marketing and promoting is concerned, it's a big part of branding, however, for me personally, Facebook is a no go area, and this means Nellie and Co. will not be found there either now, or future. A mix between personal safety and privacy issues and a lack on my behalf of remembering the site itself due to no longer being a part of it, it's not a platform I belief would help me target my ideal audience, other bloggers like me, blogger starting out, authors and publishers; my audience is located on other sites such as Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram and my concentration and focus should be on those sites. Nellie and Co. is a Facebook free blog.

O - Oh No, She's On Holiday

As part of my new blogging direction, it's been tough to decide whether or not to take regular breaks during the year, and after much thought and consideration, there will be times when I take breaks away from Nellie and Co. Occasions arise, holiday come around, and sometimes, a little change of scenery is just what creativity needs, and who am I to deny my juices to fill back up. As of right now, I have a holiday planned in September, and one in December, but I'll never be too far away from Nellie. As a blogger, you're always on duty, I might just be busy rather than available every now and again.

P - Pinterest

As far as social media is concerned, the one I struggle most with Pinterest, however, with a new blog and new design comes a new attempt at using the site to help promote and market Nellie and Co.'s brand. Pinterest has become on the most powerful social media outlets, especially when it comes to bloggers, creatives and professionals, and the stark use of great graphics as mentioned earlier only help create a great following for your content and blog through the site, and it's something I want in on. I'm working on getting much of my earlier content onto Pinterest and plan on sharing anything new there too, so if you're interested, it might be worth checking me out there too.

Q - Quest for Growth

When I started out blogging, I considered it something I wanted to do to kill time, because why on earth now, and two years down the line, I still do what I do because I enjoy doing it, but now I have a something I want achieve. I want to grow and develop Nellie and Co. into a resource followers and viewers can come to depend on, the same way I have bloggers I turn to for inspiration, support and guidance. I want Nellie and Co. to gain a large, loyal following of people that enjoy the content I create, and feel the benefit of my advice. Nellie and Co. will not be like other blogging projects I've had in the past, ones that focused on book reviews or having a laugh with blogging friends, but something I can be proud of and watch grow with me. You should always want to grow your following and become better at what you aim to do, and I plan on doing so.

R - Resources

Another new feature never seen before from me is my resources page. I decided it was time I started collecting some of my most relevant discussions and creating a resource page, where followers and viewers can find advice and guidance on everything from starting a blog, you and your relationship with your blog, blog content and design. Everything you might need to find and more about blogging can be found on my resources page, and as I continue to blog, more posts will join the collection, so it's well worth checking it out often.

S - Schedule

Previously I've blogged everyday, and as proud of that achievement as I am, it's not something I could ever imagine myself going back, and blogging every other day at Beautiful Bookish Butterflies was not only much easier on me personally in terms of creativity and productivity levels, but it seems as though it was much easier on our followers too. Posting every other day is something I'd like to continue. Currently, posting days will be Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, however, those days are subject to change, and there may be an extra posting day some weeks, depending on my personal plans and how much time I have.

T - Teaching You Everything I Know

I talk a little more on this subject in an upcoming post, but teaching others has been a dream of mine as a little girl. I dreamt of being a teacher, and watching children blossom into young characters, people who could achieve their dreams, and while being a teacher is definitely not something I'm looking at doing any longer, teaching others how to achieve their dreams is still something I love, and would love to do for a long time. Nellie and Co. will be my outlet to teach you everything I know, whether it be simple things such as how to find time restricted tutorials, to the design resources I use, I'll be sharing everything that's gotten me where I am today, in the hope that my teachings will help you reach for the stars.

U - Unique Blogger Discussions

While I'm the first to admit that Blogger has it's issues, I'm still a passionate user of Blogger and enjoy all the features that come with it, and I'm of the firm understanding that many bloggers believe that to be dedicated, to be one of the more established bloggers, you've got to wave goodbye to free hosting, and you don't. I'll be taking the time at Nellie and Co. to dedicate some posts to why I stick with Blogger, what exactly you can do with Blogger, just how good for both beginner and long-time bloggers Blogger is and more. There's a lot of love for Wordpress, Squarespace and other hosting services, but Blogger is as good as the rest, and I'll be proving how further down the line.

V - Viewers Favourite

I love nothing more than one of my posts receiving a great response from followers and readers, and if you love it, chances are, somebody else will too. Showcasing some of your favourite posts from me, whether it be of all time, of the last month, or of the last few months, is something I plan on doing in the sidebar in the long run. I want to give some previous posts of mine some recent love, and you'd be surprised just how much this simple tactic works on revitalising your content too. Keep your eyes pealed for a post on that in future as well.

W - Who Wore It Better

Unlike with Five Friday Favourites, Who Wore It Better is not going into retirement - in fact, Nitzan, Stacie and I are sprucing up the feature and putting a whole new twist on it, giving it a new lease of life, making it less overwhelming on our blogs, all the while keeping up ladies together. You'll have to check out what exactly we're up to and how we've changed it when the time comes, but all I can say for now is that we're extremely excited and definitely think this new format not only works better for all involved, but is much more fun for our followers too.

X - Xpectations

I'm a joker at heart, and the expectations I put on myself to be stricter, wiser and much more professional usually hinder me in achieving what I want to do. Whenever you blog, no matter what you blog about, being professional doesn't mean sounding like a robot - I want to be somebody followers turn to when they need a helping hand, somebody they look forward to seeing on their feed, somebody that writes one post and makes a day a little better, and what you can expect from me is a friendly content voice, passionate about teaching you the things you don't know, in a place that feels warm, welcoming and like home. You can also expect me to cheat every now and again, because X is just such an awkward letter, right?

Y - Your Choice of Content

I enjoy teaching others what they can do with Blogger - it's one of the reasons I plan on spending a lot of posts talking in detail about it as a hosting service - and I also enjoy teaching others about code and what I know, so it's only to be expected that on Nellie and Co. I want you to know that there's content here tailored for you, written for you, questions answers just for you, and that's because you can get involved. I'm always open to receiving any tutorials you may want to know more about, sharing tips and tricks I know, and providing a little extra support on a problem you may have when it comes to your own blog. I'm always available via email and Twitter on weekdays, and weekends a little less often, so if you have something you'd wish to learn, master or just gain a little knowledge on, and would like me to talk in more detail about, do ask.

Z - Zzzzz's - Oh, You're Still Here!

Juuuuust kidding, I knew you would be..

Nellie and Co. is a special place, because it's the first project I've ever been extremely excited to let grow on it's own. I don't have a leash for my content, and I don't feel restricted by it either, I feel energised and eager to create, to show, to teach, to be the blogger I really want to be, and Nellie and Co. will allow me to do that. I could not be happier with the positive reception Nellie has already gotten, and how much you've already interacted with me both on here and on Twitter, watching me get ready for today's big reveal, and that means so much to me. I really have so many fabulous posts up my sleeve for you to read, full of advice and guidance with some handy little tips too, and I really really can't wait to start this new chapter of blogging, so thank you, for your support, for your excitement, and you're being here today - just make sure you stick around, these too much good content going around, you don't want to miss any of it.

What do you love most about Nellie and Co. so far?